


Conversations

by MyFirstAndLastVow09



Series: Rain In Gotham [3]
Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Advice, F/M, Friendship, Hugs, M/M, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-18
Updated: 2016-12-18
Packaged: 2018-09-09 11:16:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8888749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MyFirstAndLastVow09/pseuds/MyFirstAndLastVow09
Summary: This continues from the last installment in the series. Jim and Oswald have a conversation. Ed and Isabella share sweet moments. Yet...Ed cannot seem to think just about her right now. He has another on his mind, and its not making things easy. Whats worse is, he can't figure out why.





	

“It is lovely, isn’t it?” a voice brought Ed out of his thoughts as he stood in front of a painting he had already forgotten the name of. 

“Hm?” Ed asked. 

“The painting. Look how the artist captured the city right at sunset. Beautiful.” Isabella commented, with a wistful look in her eyes. 

“Quite. I’m glad you’re having a good time. I was worried for a moment that I had pulled you away from something important,” 

“Not at all, don’t be silly. I am having a great time. To tell you the truth, we could have spent the afternoon anywhere and I would have been just as thrilled. You’re here with me,” Isabella smiled up at him and grasped his hands. Ed smiled and kissed her lightly on the lips. He wasn’t one for PDA, but sometimes he couldn’t help it. He pushed every single thought he had of Oswald and…him, out of his mind. He focused solely on Isabella. 

“So, how is being the Chief of Staff? You hardly talk about it. Must be very exciting!” Until now, it seemed. With her question, the sight of Oswald’s face lighting up at the prospect of a chat with James Gordon came front and center yet again. 

“Most of it is very dull.” He said quickly.

“I’m sure it isn’t.” Isabella commented, walking through to the next exhibit. They held hands the entire time, and Ed almost let hers go. His palms were beginning to become very sweaty, a habit that had stayed with him since he was a teenager when he became nervous. 

“Look at these sculptures. The craftsmanship that goes into each one is quite spectacular, I admit,” Ed directed her attention away from the line of questioning. 

While she examined the first few, and chatted away about them, Ed could not stop thinking about earlier. Something had Oswald in a sour mood the last week and a half, but he couldn’t put his finger on what it was. A few days ago, he even let someone whose payment was late this month SLIDE. He was so taken aback, he didn’t even have anything to say on the subject. The Oswald he knew would not have let that happen. The said person made their payment, of course, when Ed himself went to pick it up. They did not want to get on his bad side, either. Even so…it was and is still very odd. Now, this impromptu meeting of Oswald and Jim? He didn’t even know they were still on speaking terms since the whole thing with Fish Mooney. 

“Ed? Are you alright?” Isabella asked, looking at him with her eyes filled with worry. He looked back at her, and smiled. She was gorgeous in every way, intelligent, sweet, loving, attentive…everything one could ask in a girlfriend. He was so happy that he had gotten his second chance…and yet…no. He would not mess this up. This thinking of Oswald and Jim was going to drive him crazy. If Oswald and Jim were…more than friends? What did it matter to him?

“Yes. Quite alright. Listen…after this, why don’t we go to a nice, romantic dinner?” Ed suggested, wrapping his arms around her waist, hoping he hadn’t completely ruined the day. 

“Sounds wonderful,” Isabella smiled and kissed him sweetly. Ed rested his forehead against hers for a moment, and they continued the rest of the exhibit. Yes, everything is perfectly fine, Ed thought. Or he tried to think that, anyway. 

 

“You did not. Oh, please tell me you didn’t!” Oswald couldn’t remember when he laughed harder in his life. 

“I did. Actually, Alvarez and I did. We took his clothes and hid them all over the station. Luckily, Barnes never found out about it, or it would have been our asses. Harvey was so pissed. Payback is a bitch,” Jim was laughing out loud by the end. 

“Well that’s what he gets for filling your desk with paper hearts and confetti!” Oswald giggled out. He drank the last little bit of scotch in his glass, draining it. It was only 7 pm, so he decided to only have the one for now. Jim was on his second. He couldn’t believe 3 hours had gone by already. They had had coffee earlier, but now switched to something a bit stronger.

“Absolutely. Again, I apologize for just dropping in like this. I just wanted to tell you something.” 

“Oh?” Oswald asked, curious. 

“I am returning to GCPD, as a detective. Luckily, Barnes wants me back badly enough I don’t have to work up the ladder again.” Jim explained. He smiled a little. 

“That’s wonderful, Jim!” 

“I thought so. Plus, I’ve had enough of Harv’s whining about Alvarez being his partner. He says it’s bad enough he covered for him with his wife before, now he feels obligated to.” Jim joked. 

“He’s still going to do it,” Oswald pointed out, shaking his head.

“Well, yeah. It’s Harvey.” Jim replied, with a laugh. 

“Point taken,” Oswald chuckled. 

“So…I didn’t want to ask right away but…” Jim began, swirling the amber liquid in his glass a bit. 

“But?” Oswald pushed. He knew Jim was going to ask. To be honest, he was surprised the man left it this long. 

“How are you?” 

“I’m…well. Medium-well. Medium. Medium rare. Rare. More like sashimi.” Oswald blurted out, sighing and putting his head in his hands.

“That bad?” Jim asked, setting his glass down on Oswald’s desk. 

“I thought these feelings would just disappear. How do I make them go away?” Oswald knew he was on the verge of whining, but he knew Jim wouldn’t judge him if he did. 

“You feel that strongly for him?” Jim asked. He didn’t want to pry, but it seemed like Oswald was opening up and he didn’t want to seem like he didn’t care. 

“I love him, Jim. I really do, God help me.” Oswald murmured. He felt tears sting his eyes, but he would be damned if he let them fall. 

“Have you told him?” 

“What’s the point? He wouldn’t want someone like me.” 

“Where the hell is this self-deprecating behavior coming from? You have always been sure of what you want, and always went after it.” Jim pointed out. He didn’t understand how this man, the one who literally rose to power before his eyes, cleaned up Gotham’s Underworld and had done a lot of good as mayor as well in a short time span, could be shut down by one man. This man being Edward Nygma of all people.

“He’s also my best friend. I can’t lose him in any capacity, but mostly that one. I almost thought I had lost him before during my celebration. When Butch attacked him... It felt like someone ripping my heart out of my chest.” Oswald explained, in a low voice. He knew he was letting his emotions get the best of him, but he couldn’t be bothered to care. 

“I understand.” Jim stood from his chair and walked over behind Oswald’s desk. He got down on one knee in front of Oswald. He laid a hand on his shoulder. “I know that when we were together it was rough. Hell, too rough at times, and it got to the both of us. Our jobs became our lives, and it seeped into what we had. But, I have to tell you, I’ve never regretted a single moment I spent with you.” Oswald looked up at Jim from where he was staring at his hands in his lap. His eyes were shining with tears and it made Jim’s heart clench painfully. 

“Do you really mean that?” 

“I wouldn’t say it if it weren’t true, Os. If Ed doesn’t see you for who you really are, than he is missing out.” 

“Jim…” 

“Let me finish?” Jim pleaded. Oswald nodded. “I’m serious. Now, I’ve known Ed longer than you. I worked with him for almost two years before he went… away. One thing he doesn’t always pick up on is emotions. Even though you wear your heart on your sleeve, you also are incredibly secretive when you want to be. You can hide things with the best of them, when you want to. Ed? He points everything out, whether it is meant to be pointed out or not. But, an emotion as strong as love will literally have to smack him in the face before he realizes what it is.” 

“I know how Ed is, Jim.” Oswald began, a little annoyed. But, realization crossed his features and Jim smiled. He knew Os would understand what he was saying. 

“I have to tell him. Damn everything to hell, and damn that woman too! I am telling him first thing tomorrow!” Oswald exclaimed, smacking his hand on the desk. 

“There you go!” Jim agreed. He went to stand, but Oswald wrapped him in a hug first. Jim held him tight right back. 

“Thank you, old friend,” Oswald whispered. 

“Your welcome,” Jim murmured in reply. 

The two released each other, and Jim sat back in his seat. He picked up his drink, and he realized something. “Os?”

“Yes, Jim?” 

“Leave that poor woman alone. I mean it,” Jim warned, a half smile on his face. 

“Don’t worry, Jim.” Oswald waved in an offhand manner. He was already thinking of exactly how to tell Ed and when. Then, something struck him. “Jim?” 

“Yeah?” 

“Ed is straight,” Oswald commented, starting to deflate again. 

“Yeah. So was I,” Jim replied, and Oswald’s head jerked up to look him in the eye. Jim grinned at him. 

“Oh,” Was all the reply he got. 

“Yeah, you have a tendency to do that. Not like it’s a bad thing,” Jim quickly added. He drained his glass and sat it down on the desk. He grabbed his jacket from the back of the chair and shrugged it on. “Definitely not a bad thing, if I remember correctly,” 

Oswald blushed. “Knock it off,” 

“Just tell him. I’m sure he will be receptive. If not, smack him in the face. Please?” Jim teased. 

“Jim…” Oswald warned, but with no heat behind it. 

“Seriously. Just tell him. You will feel better, I promise.” 

Oswald stood to say goodbye to his friend. “I’ve kept you long enough. Thank you for coming by, Jim. It helped a great deal. Thank you,” He stuck out his hand for Jim to shake. Jim rolled his eyes and walked around the desk again to hug him. 

“We’ve moved past the hand shake, don’t you think?” Jim asked, smiling as he released Oswald. Oswald grinned back, and Jim felt better now he was leaving him feeling better about everything.

“Of course. I’ll see you, old friend,” 

“See you later, Os. Good luck,” Jim walked out of the room, and closed the office door behind him. He nodded at Gabe, who was on guard by the front door, and grunted in greeting. 

What Jim didn’t notice, however, was someone watching him leave from the shadows as he pulled out of the driveway of the Manor.

**Author's Note:**

> Isabella is alive. Mostly because I refuse to believe she was a normal person (Um, Hello?) and also because her being alive is relevant at the moment. Comments and kudos are much appreciated.


End file.
